How to Avoid the Stay-At-Home Slump After Graduation

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College graduation is one of the most exciting times of your life. From early morning classes to late night study sessions, you worked your tail off for your degree. Now it’s over. You’ve packed up and moved back home… Now what? A popular habit after graduation is to get into the stay-at-home slump. Being home makes you question why you ever left in the first place, making you wonder if you actually need to find a job. We’re here to make sure all of your hard work doesn’t go to waste! Here are a few ideas on what to do after graduation to avoid the stay-at-home slump.

Organize Your Finances

Soon you’ll be officially “adulting” – paying taxes, managing bills, budgeting, and worst of all, repaying your student loans. Utilize your parents while you’re home and learn from how they handle their finances. Figure out all of the expenses you’ll have (estimated rent, groceries, etc.), what you owe on student loans or credit cards, how much you want to save, and create a realistic plan of action. Many people regret not doing this after graduation and end up paying for it in the long run. Do this now while you have time to spare, and most importantly, stay on top of it!

Perfect Your Resume

When it comes to your resume, be a detail-oriented perfectionist, because this document has to be flawless. Sell yourself and your accomplishments in a professional way. After all, this is the first impression to your potential employer! Start by looking at resume templates to guide your inspiration, but still be unique and make it your own. Also, check out these awesome resume tips that will help you get hired.

Acquire New Skills

You don’t have any projects due, exams to study for or a 40-hour workweek (yet), so take advantage of this time by learning a new skill. You could learn a lifestyle skill, like cooking, that will help you transition into living on your own. Or, learn an in-demand job-related skill that will boost your resume, like Photoshop or a new language. You may stop doing your laundry or stop waking up early, but just make sure you never stop learning!

Do a Job Search Every Day

The longer you put it off, the more daunting it gets. Dive right into job hunting and get familiar with how it works. Learn how to look for a job effectively by narrowing down your search to entry level and the field you’re looking in. Make it a goal to look at least once a day. Even if you see the same jobs over and over again, you’re staying proactive and assuring yourself that you won’t miss an opportunity. Here are some of the best job search websites to help get you started:

LinkUp – This site pulls info directly from the company hiring, which helps avoid scams and outdated postings.

SimplyHired – Get an immense collection of job listings from around the web and from social media sites. Go big or go home, am I right?

Don’t Forget About YOU!

Last but not least, don’t forget about maintaining the most important factor – you! Keep up with your friends, exercise frequently, eat healthy and try new things. It may seem like the only thing that matters right now is finding a job, and although that’s important, work isn’t everything. Your happiness and your lifestyle are just as important. Don’t forget that!

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